Maple Glazed Pate Brisee Biscuits

These biscuits can be made with pre-bought pastry from the store.  You can also use a basic pate brisee recipe for these biscuits.  In fact, left-over pastry from your favorite pie can be used for this recipe, as well. For the double recipe you will get a yield of a dozen with a medium sized cutter.  You will also get many smaller pieces with the odd shapes left over from cutting your medium sized pieces.  A good use for those as left-over pieces would be to use them for an actual pie crust.  It would be lovely as a crust for an 8 inch pumpkin pie with all the pecans and dried cranberries running through it! Simply press them into a pie plate and fill!

Maple Glazed Pate Brisee Biscuits

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Pre-made 9 inch pastry case (often found in the freezer section of a grocers), or maybe you have left-over pastry from making a pie.

Using pre-made means you can make the whole recipe on one baking sheet from start to finish. Less mess!
 
Or make it fresh, basic Pate Brisee recipe:

2 1/2 cups  all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon  salt
1 cup  cold,  unsalted butter
1/4 to 1/2 cup  ice water

This will make 2 - 9"  pie shells (a double recipe)

You will also need:

1/4 cup chopped pecans (1/2 c. for double recipe))
1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries (1/2 c. for double recipe)
1/4 to 1/2/ c. maple syrup  (probably 3/4 c. for double recipe) -  www.purecanadamaple.com

Roll out your pastry disc onto a parchment lined baking sheet.  Sprinkle half of the cranberries and half of the pecans on one half of the disc.  Brush the other half with maple syrup. 

Fold in half, evenly to the edges.

Roll over the layers to smooth them out and press the layers together.

Cut into shapes with  cutters of your choice right onto a parchment lined baking sheet and remove the excess.  Repeat with the other disc of pastry if making doubled recipe.  Using a fork poke all over the top of the dough, so it bakes evenly.  Place the cut dough shapes on the baking sheet into the freezer for about 10 minutes. 

Now, place them into the preheated oven. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush with the remaining maple syrup. Bake for about 12 minutes more, until lightly golden. Cool and serve.

These biscuits would be elegant as a dipper for a custard, just place them in the side of the custard cup.

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Baked Goat Cheese Dip Drizzled with Maple

It didn't take too long to start thinking about Autumn on this first day of October.  One of the thoughts I had was of maple! 

This isn't just goat cheese broiled on bread and this isn't artichoke dip.  This is Baked Goat Cheese Dip Drizzled with Maple!

You can make this directly in one pan. 

Preheat the oven to 350 deg. F

8 oz. goat cheese
8 oz. cream cheese
6 thin slices of Prosciutto, chopped into small pieces (cut chiffonade style then roughly chop)
1 small bunch spinach, chard, or kale, chopped into medium pieces (cut chiffonade style then roughly chop)
1/4 c. milk
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 pinch each white pepper and sea salt (be careful with the salt, as Prosciutto is quite salty)
1/2 c. sliced almonds
1/4 c. maple syrup  -   www.purecanadamaple.com

Place the first seven ingredients into a 8' baking dish  and start to blend.  Keep blending until the ingredients are evenly distributed and the milk is incorporated.  Now spread the mixture evenly into the pan.  Use a paper towel to wipe any mess on the rim of the pan.  Sprinkle the almonds over the mixture.  Bake in the oven for 20 minute, or until bubbly.  Hot out of the oven drizzle the dip with maple syrup.  Use this dip with bread, or vegetables, or even certain fruits (such as apples, or pears).

The flavors balance out quite nicely; the salty and sweet together with the nutty and creamy.

This easy to prepare dish would be good at a party, or as a starter at your next dinner party.

 

I have a few ideas to use the left-overs from this dish, if there are any.  Top grilled chicken with this cheese mixture for the last 5 minutes of of cooking time and drizzle with a bit more maple syrup.  another idea is to thin this mixture a bit more with milk ( how much depends on how much you have left-over) and stir into pasta for a delicious side dish.

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